MILLINERY | Millinery

QEST APPRENTICE 2023

'A 2023 QEST Apprenticeship will support Alice during her training, building upon the current traditional silk flower making and fundamental construction skills she has already developed at Mille Fleurs and covering areas including blocking with fine straws and felts, creating freeform shapes, dyeing and bespoke colour matching, silk trimmings and feathers, as well as business and customer interaction skills.

Alice’s long-term career plans are to continue her freelance work as a costumier and seamstress, whilst maturing as a couture milliner and designer in her own right, building on her repertoire of creative skills and industry experience.'

ABOUT QEST

My interest is in storytelling – using traditional skills and techniques passed down through generations, to continue to create beautiful pieces that play a part within important moments in people’s present stories.

I take inspiration from any resources I can find, whether it be fabric scraps, unconventional materials, or vintage textiles, allowing their behaviour to influence each design and create individual and characterful pieces.

FLOWER MAKING

Recently I have been refining the skill of flower making, experimenting with shapes and textures using both traditional and contemporary methods, materials and tools.

I start by examining and taking inspiration from real flowers, studying the shape, size and arrangement of the petals, before drafting my own templates and designs.

Sustainability is always at the heart of my designs and every flower I make is using small silk fabric scraps from local Bridal Dressmakers and fabric offcuts from dress alterations. My flowers can be dyed to match for bespoke orders.